Investigation of the protective activity of baicalein on the lungs via regulation of various cellular responses in rats exposed to experimental sepsis.

Backgrounds: In the present study, a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced experimental sepsis rat model was used to explore the effects of baicalein on inflammatory cytokine levels and oxidative stress as well as the possible regulatory role of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Methods: For that purpose, 42 Wistar albino rats were equally divided into control, sham, sepsis, B50 + S, B100 + S, S + B50, and S + B100 groups. The B50 + S and B100 + S groups received baicalein before the induction of sepsis, while the S + B50 and S + B100 groups received baicalein afterwards. Experimental sepsis in related groups is generated through ligation of cecum and a puncture in cecal wall. Serum samples were used for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) analyses, and tissue Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione (GSH), IL-6, and NF-κB levels were measured. Results: Compared to the control group, there were significantly increases in the serum TNF-α, IL-6, tissue MDA, and NF-κB levels and decreases in the tissue SOD and GSH levels in the septic group (P < 0.05). Compared to the septic group, inflammation and oxidative stress were reduced in the baicalein-treated groups. Although all of the pre- and post-treatment protocols alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress to varying degrees, pre-treatment with 100 mg/kg was the most successful. Conclusions: Findings of this study indicated that baicalein has the potential to reduce sepsis-related oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs and that pathological outcomes could be regulated via NF-κB transcription factor activity. Graphical Abstract Forty-two adult rats were equally divided into 7 groups. Animals in sham, sepsis, S + B50, and S + B100 were deep anesthetized (1) and the rats in sepsis, S + B50, and S + B100 groups were exposed to CLP surgery (2), and the S + B50, and S + B100 groups received baicalein 1, 6, and 12 h post-surgery (3). The animals in B50 + S and B100 + S received baicalein for seven days (4) before deep anesthesia (5) and CLP surgery (6). All animals in pre (7), and post (8) treatment groups were euthanized and lung tissues were used (9) for biochemical, immunohistochemical, and ELISA Analyses (10). CLP surgery resulted with upregulation of oxidative stress and inflammation (11). Both pre and post-treatments were beneficial, and pre-treatment was more successful with regulatory activity of NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]